THE CONGO AND THE STAR

The centenary of the feast of the Rosary in Estrela do Indaiá-MG (1920-2020)

Abstract

This paper examines the traditions of the Congada from the celebrations of the centenary of the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Saint Benedict and Saint Ephigenia from Estrela do Indaiá, Minas Gerais (1920-2020). The narratives established on the feast of the Rosary are analyzed considering the broader aspects of this feast in other Congadas and Reinados of Minas Gerais and Brazil. It is based on bibliographic research and various documentary sources produced by the Parish of São Sebastião and the Association of the Congregation of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Parish of São Sebastião, of Estrela do Indaiá-MG, as well as on oral testimonies collected by the Commission of the Centennial of the Feast of the Rosary of Estrela do Indaiá. The article discusses the history of this popular festival of African origin in its intense relations with the Catholic Church. In this sense, the search for an understanding of the history and memory of the centenary feast of the Congada of Estrela do Indaiá presupposes interrogating the popular traditions and local historiography engaged in unveiling how the feast of the Rosary of Estrela do Indaiá would have arisen and under what conditions the Congada completes its centenary.